Customer Challenges
- As part of a leading carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, our customer is supporting the development of the first offshore CO₂ storage hub in the Netherlands. The project involves repurposing a highly depleted gas field to permanently store CO₂ captured from nearby industrial facilities
- To enable safe and reliable CO₂ injection, the existing platform and well infrastructure required significant modification. The work scope included the conversion of four gas production wells to CO₂ injector wells, the suspension of one platform well, and the decommissioning of two suspended wells
- A key challenge was protecting long-term well integrity in a corrosive CO₂ injection environment. New completions manufactured from high-grade Corrosion Resistant Alloys (CRA) were required to mitigate the risks associated with exposure to CO₂, water and impurities. However, these premium tubulars are highly susceptible to surface damage during handling, make-up, and running operations. Any marking or damage could compromise corrosion resistance and increase the risk of future well integrity issues
- The customer therefore required a specialist partner capable of executing the workover programme while ensuring the highest standards of tubular protection, operational efficiency, and safe
Expro Excellence
- Expro was selected to provide tubular running and pulling services across the entire well workover scope, including de-completions, re-completions, well suspensions and decommissioning activities
- The award was based on Expro’s proprietary non-marking tubular handling technology, specifically designed to protect premium CRA tubulars from damage during handling and installation. Expro’s Collar Load Support (CLS) system and Fluid Grip® power tongs utilize non-ferrous components to eliminate metal-to-metal contact and prevent marking from elevators, spiders, and power tongs
- To further enhance operational efficiency and safety, Expro deployed its COBRA™ control line manipulator arm. This mechanised system enables the safe installation of multiple control lines by positioning them against the tubular prior to clamping, significantly reducing manual handling requirements and personnel exposure to red-zone activities
- The project was supported by Expro’s local team in Den Helder, providing equipment, experienced personnel, and project management expertise throughout the operation
Value to Client
- Over the 12-month campaign, the team successfully retrieved four legacy completions, installed four new CRA completions, and decommissioned three wells, delivering a total of 19 runs
- All operations were completed safely, efficiently, and to schedule, achieving zero non-productive time (NPT) and no HSE incidents throughout the campaign. This operational performance maximized asset uptime, reduced intervention-related costs, and ensured the client achieved its project objectives with minimal disruption
- Expro’s advanced tubular handling technologies enabled the safe installation of premium CRA completions, protecting tubular integrity and ensuring long-term well performance for CO₂ injection
- The COBRA™ control line handling system improved operational efficiencies while reducing personnel exposure to manual handling risks
- With a combination of local expertise and operational experience, Expro delivered a reliable solution that supported the successful conversion of the gas field into a key component of the Netherlands’ carbon storage infrastructure
Contact
For further information, please contact wellconstruction@expro.com.
